This invention relates generally to computer-implemented methods and apparatus for modeling, and more particularly to such methods and apparatus for modeling process and industrial plants, including, for example, power plants.
In known systems for modeling power and process plants, addition of a new component type would require writing computer code specifically designed for that component type. Usually, the persons having specialized engineering knowledge of industrial plants are not professional programmers and are not expert at writing computer code. Thus, changes would normally have to be contracted out to a software team. Months of testing might then ensue as the software is modified, recompiled, and tested. A software product using such code would then have to be re-released in a new version, with all the attendant expenses of each product release and the inconvenience of customers.